Poetry - JAMAICA 50

• JAMAICA 50

Labour under Spanish rule

Western Design

Open the way for English rule

Indian Labour

Extermination, Genocide

European Labour, Indentured Servants

Immigrants fill our shores

Servile Labour, Scorching sun

None or few Holidays

Chattel, Fortune, Abuse

Poking fun Backra Master

Work stoppage

The road was hard and rocky

The hills hard to climb

Jamaica 21 - Big celebration

All parishes

Denbigh Show, May Pen

Colourful scenes, Revival in the air

A new atmosphere, A new approach, A new destiny

2012 - Year of Jubilee

Year of Liberty

Year of accomplishment

Crowning success

Jamaica 50

Weaned from Mother England

Emancipation realised

Physically, Socially, Mentally, Emotionally

Free from slavery of all hues

Free to become

- Mitzie

• Fifty year Independence

'Tis the 50 year Independence Jubilee

An' Jamaica celebrate!

Wat a time in our history.

We've come a far way

Regardless of what anyone may say

Our sons and daughters -

They have excelled

On the world's stage

In the sports arena

We are supreme!

In the classroom,

We've shown our brilliance!

And our music is world class!

No more in chains!

But Bob Marley reminds us in song:

"Only we can free ourselves from mental slavery."

We're a charismatic and dynamic people,

A proud people,

Who have always stood up for our rights,

As Bob Marley intones.

A conscious people

We've often led the way forward

We likkle but wi tallawah

It all began with our heroes -

Let's not forget it!

Freedom fighters -

They never gave up

Even dying for the cause.

- Sisiline Perkins

• JAMAICA JOURNEY 50

Popcorn seller: "Bus ah load

wait on de procedure, put yuh bag down

but yuh can't teck up seat yet... "

Aunt Icil from St Thomas with her perfect British accent on the way to the West ...

Juke box blasting ..." Dis is de land of my birth ..."

not my hurt ...

We sey we want to see Bogle Statue on another trip

she sey she hear sey people of unsound

mind behead it

after Bogle march

on Stony Gut

hot stone, gut

empty, Bogle yuh

have guts

We hope soon the Proper face

of Bogle is reinstated

along with conspirator George

William Gordon

But George look how we live to see dem name

Parliament House after yuh

Like Munroe who tek whip on his back for Worker's rights

dat's why him ah lead integrity

..."The Stone de Builder refuse

become the Chief corner stone"

Bogle yuh evolve

to popular dance

and yet dem lights out the dancer

"Sell Marcus Garvey"... fi gravy on de rice ... not so nice ...

Ah so de hiss diss go

Thy Kingdom come ... Thy Will be done ...

"Bum, ... Bum, Bum, Bum ... It's Festival ..."

We ah ovacome Mount Ras, Sah

in the Valley of

Flat bridge

no railing on most

precarious turns ...

"Oh Cheerio, Cheerio Baby"

We reach we destination

ackee and pork

with yellow heart breadfruit

Falmouth, Trelawny de beautiful

we see three foot goat

ah survive

Rooster wake me

Pick guinep straight off de tree at Uncle House

White Sand

beach with Tourist ...

Misses when yuh get a sea bath

dat cure

just about anything....

Holiday

we must do best for de visitors

So that when we go we can have a

good time ... "BUM, ... BA BA BUM BUM ..."

We drive back

beautiful bush all around

road block up

we wait

climbing again through Fern Gully

soon in Spain Town

back home

"... Put yuh hand in the air and Praise Him ..."

We are alive!

God journeys with us

in the belly of our land

we put our lives in

drivers who

have

good constitution

who know the

turns of the roads

the ravines

and give us

safe journey

even at night

We have enough

more than enough ...

- Helen-Ann Wilkinson

• POEM OF THE WEEK - JAMAICA 50

Remember the year nineteen sixty and two

To Independence, Jamaica said," I do".

Soaring high was the black, green and gold,

Yes, we little but we tallawah and bold.

Garvey, Manley, Bogle, Gordon, Busta, Nanny and Sharpe

These freedom fighters indeed worked very hard.

Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey

All became united, yes everything curry.

From Whites, Chinese to Indians to our very own ebony,

Yes 'Out of Many, We are One'.

The warmth of our people is much evident; yes they are the kindest,

Even our athletes are considered among the finest.

Jamaicans in the diaspora, far and near,

On a mission with a vision, this little island they hold dear.

Blessed by the Eternal Father up above,

Jamaica, Jamaica, land we love.

Jamaica, land of wood and water

Colonisation was abound but Independence, we rather.

Ska, mento, and reggae tun up loud,

Jamaica, Jamaica, fifty and proud.

- Marlene Beeche

• Express yourself!

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